One of this year's charities is The Not Forgotten Association, which helps
soldiers disabled by their service

The world is full of good causes and, fortunately, good people willing to support them. In the aftermath of the terrible Typhoon Haiyan that hit the Philippines, generous Britons gave a remarkable £23 million in just 48 hours. And last Friday, donations to the Children in Need appeal seem to have beaten previous records.

We appreciate that times are tight and that everybody is watching their bank balances closely this year. But we would like our readers to consider digging a little deeper into their pockets to help with The Sunday Telegraph’s annual Christmas charity appeal.

One of the charities we are supporting is the Not Forgotten Association, which arranges concerts, parties and outings for soldiers left disabled by their service. An example of the kind of hero that Not Forgotten helps is L/Cpl Dave Hart, a veteran who sustained injuries from a car bomb in Afghanistan. By the time he made it to hospital, he had only two pints of blood left in his body. It took 18 operations to piece him back together.

L/Cpl Hart tells us that he was coming to the end of his initial recovery in November 2004 when he received a surprise phone call from Not Forgotten to say: “Would you like to come to our Christmas party?” When he arrived at the event he found himself surrounded by people going through similar trials – a new family, in effect, to help him work through his injuries. At that moment, he realised: “You know what? I’m not alone.”

We would be grateful for any assistance you can give towards our appeal, to help brave men and women like L/Cpl Hart who have given so much of their own lives to others. The approach of Christmas is a time to rejoice and to celebrate our families, our health and our own good fortune. But it is also a time to remember those less fortunate than ourselves. Please spare a thought for those injured in service to our great country.